05/12/2025

FRIDAY | DEC 5, 2025

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Duo claim trial to graft charges o Ex-political secretary to PM and businessman deny wrongdoing in case involving RM176,000

In the same court, Tei was charged with four counts of giving bribes, totalling RM176,829.03, to Shamsul Iskandar. Tei, 37, pleaded not guilty to all the charges. “I understand (the charges). I plead not guilty and claim trial,” he said. Tei is charged with two counts of giving bribes of RM100,000 and RM40,000 to Shamsul Iskandar. He is also charged with two counts of giving bribes in the form of furniture and electrical goods worth RM14,580.03 and RM22,249 respectively to Shamsul Iskandar. The four charges, framed under Section 17(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law, provide imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe that was the subject matter of the offence, if the bribe can be assessed, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. Ragging culture exists, KOTA KINABALU: A discipline teacher told the Coroner’s Court here that a ragging culture exists among senior students at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha. The admission came from the school’s disciplinary unit secretary Muliati Alihuddin, 42, who is the 56th witness, during questioning on Wednesday by Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan at an inquest into the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir. Amir Shah: In general, how would you describe the level of student discipline at the school since you became a discipline teacher? Muliati: Normally, the reported cases involve mobile phones, as they are prohibited. We conduct surprise inspections in the dormitories. Other disciplinary issues include students skipping Subuh prayers, improper personal appearance, such as wearing short headscarves, and not wearing the school badge. Amir Shah: What is the most serious case the school has ever encountered? Muliati: The most serious was the Zara Qairina case. We have not faced any criminal cases before this. Amir Shah: Were there any cases of ragging between senior and junior students? Muliati: Yes. Ragging cases usually involve male students. We have never received reports of ragging among female students. It usually involves light tasks such as fetching water or ironing clothes. Amir Shah: Earlier, you mentioned various programmes to discipline students. Is caning still implemented? Muliati: Previously, yes, but no longer. Only the senior assistant for student affairs is allowed to cane. Amir Shah: In general, should caning be implemented? Muliati: I think it is appropriate. There should be a devolution of power. Let us try implementing caning. The softer approach is not effective, it wasn’t like this in the past. Zara Qairina was pronounced dead at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital here on July 17, a day after she was found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory. – Bernama Zara Qairina inquest told

KUALA LUMPUR: Former senior political secretary to the prime minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin was charged in the Sessions Court yesterday with four counts of corruption involving RM176,829.03 in connection with mineral exploration licence approval in Sabah. Shamsul Iskandar @ Yusre Mohd Akin, 50, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him before Judge Suzana Hussin. “I understand (the charges), (I) plead not guilty and request trial,” he said. Shamsul Iskandar is accused of agreeing to accept a bribe of RM100,000 in cash from businessman Albert Tei Jiann Cheing, 37, at a hotel car park in Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin on Nov 24, 2023. The payment was allegedly given as inducement for him to assist companies in

All four charges were framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act. The section provides a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe, if it can be assessed, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. Suzana set Jan 8 for mention and allowed bail of RM150,000 in two sureties. “The court also sets three additional conditions, namely that the accused must report to the nearest MACC office once a month, surrender his passport to the court until the case concludes, and refrain from disturbing prosecution witnesses,” the judge said.

which Tei had interests to obtain mineral exploration licence approvals in Sabah, although the matter was not connected to his principal affairs, Bernama reported. Shamsul Iskandar is also charged with receiving another bribe of RM40,000 in cash from Tei for the same purpose at a premises in Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya on Jan 29, 2024. He also faces two additional charges of receiving bribes in the form of furniture and electrical items worth RM14,580 and RM22,249 respectively from Tei for similar purposes. The two offences were allegedly committed at a premises in Jalan Medang Serai between Dec 7, 2023 and Jan 31, 2024, and at Jalan P14a 1/1, Precinct 14 in Putrajaya between Feb 26 and March 5, 2024.

Members of the Civil Defence team trying to calm the deer after it was captured. – R. ANBALAGAN/THESUN

Residents shocked by escaped deer loitering in housing estate

Ű BY R. ANBALAGAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

animal was finally captured. In its bid to escape, the deer ran into a back lane and fell into a drain. The team blocked both ends of the back lane and were able to eventually subdue the deer by binding its limbs. The deer suffered injuries from its fall into the drain and died as the team was lifting it into a cage for transport to a safe place for release. Efforts to resuscitate the animal were unsuccessful. The deer’s owner, Mohd Nasri from Kampung Gadong Jaya, arrived at 12.47pm to claim the animal. He said the deer had escaped from his property almost a month ago.

playground at 10am. I was shocked to see the deer and this is the first such occurrence at our housing area. “I then alerted the local Perhilitan office but was referred to the Civil Defence headquarters,” he said. Civil Defence operations officer Aminudin Suhaimi said at the scene they received a call at about 10am and arrived at about 10.15am with a team. The deer darted away once it spotted the team and evaded capture by running throughout the housing estate. The rescue team had a tough time chasing the deer as it jumped over plants and hid in bushes. It took almost an hour and a half before the

SEREMBAN: An escaped deer surprised residents of Suriaman 2B housing estate in Bandar Sri Sendayan here yesterday. The animal was involved in a “cat-and-mouse” chase with authorities for over an hour in the housing area, before it was captured. Unfortunately, it died due to injuries suffered during the chase. The deer was initially spotted by several residents, including the area’s resident association committee member, M. Anumanthan. “It was loitering near the futsal court beside a